Vacuum cleaner



Dec. 20, 1932. E, m; 1,891,256

. VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 26. 1930 h IINVENT'OR w cleaners.

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orr cs 'I'ORD ERIK DANIELBILDE, F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOELECTROLUX CORPORATION, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE vacuum CLEANERApplication filed February 26, 1930, Serial No. 431,360, and in GerinanyApril 22, 1929.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to airdirecting and alr conditioning means therefor. The invention isespecially applicable to vacuum cleaners of the type having a unit ofgenerally cylindrical formation supported in horizontal position on thefloor and to which is attached a flexible operating hose, althoughcertain features are applicable to other forms of An object of theinvention is to provide means to control or fix the direction of the airdischarged by a vacuum cleaner. Other objects of the invention are: todirect the air discharged by a vacuum cleaner away from the floor tothereby prevent stirring up dust and other objects; to provide forconditioning the air by separating impurities therefrom beforedischarging the same; to provide for conditioning the air byintroducing.

lieved to be characteristic of this invention will be particularlypointed out in the claims appended-hereto, the invention itself, as toits objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner ofits organization may be better understood by referring to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming apart thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum cleanerunit comprising a filter and air directing rings 11 and 12,respectively, and serve to vanes, the view being partly broken away toshow the internal construction.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of a portion of the vacuum cleanershowing modified forms of vanes;

Fig. i is an end elev lustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing another modified form of vane;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation thereof; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the details of the vanes ofFigs. 5 and 6.

Like reference characters denote like parts inthe several figures ofthedrawing.

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identifiedby specific names for convenience,-but they are intended to be asgeneric in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawing more in detail, the invention is shown asapplied to a vacuum cleaner unit comprising a barrel 10 having rings 11and 12 secured to the ends thereof. A bell 13. having a central apertureor inlet port l lnadapted to receive a coupling member 15, seats againstring 11 and is secured by convenient means such as spring clips 16. Saidcoupling member 15 is provided with a central bore for receiving anoperating device such as a flexible air hose (not shown). Cap 17 seatsagainst ring 12 and is secured thereto in any desired manner. Runners 18are mounted in lugs 19 and 20 formed on ation pf the device ilsupportthe vacuum cleaner unit on a surface such as a floor. A handle 21 isapplied to barrel 10 to facilitate transportation of the unit. Barrel 10contains the operating parts such as dust bag 24:, motor 22 and fan 23.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, cap.17 is formedfwith an inwardly extendingcircular wall providing a central aperture or outlet port 25 which isinternally threaded with threads of the same kind as those in aperture14 so that it may also receive coupling 90 member 15. Across the innerpart of the annular wall is a flow directing member or part 26comprising a plurality of vanes 27 which may be stamped from the plateor body from which the part 26 is made. Vanes 27 are bent inwardly anddownwardly, whereby the air currents passed therethrough are directed inan upwardly inclined direction. Part 26 may be formed as an integralpart of cap 17 and I stamped therefrom if desired, or it may be made asa separate member.

Cap 17 is provided with an annular shoulder 30 against which a screen 31is seated. Said screen may be formed of wire gauze or other suitablematerial and may be sufficiently rigid to form a support for the filter.

The filter comprises layers 32 of filter material, such as flannel,which are stretched over an annular ring 33 having a circumferentialgroove 34. The ends of said layers are securely held in groove 34 bymember 35 which may comprise a wire, string or similar material. Thefilter material may be treated with an air conditioning substance or maybe used to mechanically separate undesired matter, such as bacteria,from the air stream.

Positioned within the filter, between layers 32, is a bag 36 of unsizedpaper. fabric, or similar material, enclosing a mass of infuserial earth37 which is impregnated with a. deodorizing, disinfecting, insecticidalor perfuming liquid or equivalent substance. The construction ofthe-filter and the air conditioning material used therewith may be,however. varied as desired. A particular form has been shown by way ofillustration only.

In the operation of the above described device, fan 23 draws a currentof air through coupling member 15, bell 13 and dust bag 24, thence overmotor 22 and through the filter, which serves to remove bacteria andcondition the air, after which it is discharged between vanes 27 andcaused to pass in an upwardly inclined direction out of aperture 25. Thefilter is particularly useful in removing undesired materials from theair before it is discharged into the room and may be used fordisinfecting, deodorizing, perfuming or other purposes as desired. Thevanes 27 then deflect the air stream, directing it away from the floorand preventing it from picking up dust and other objects therefrom andfrom losing any conditioning matter introduced into the air. The cleaneris accordingly adapted to discharge a particularly pure. air streamwhich is free from undesired odors, bacteria and dust, and which maycarry a disinfectant or other air conditioning substance.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 annular member 40, provided with internalthreads 41 for receiving coupling member 15. is secured within centralaperture 42-of cap 17. Member 40 has attached thereto, or castintegrally therewith a plurality of vanes 43, which are locatedsimilarly to vanes 27 and serve the .purpose described in connectiontherewith.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, cap 17 is formed with an internallythreaded recess 45, having a closure member 46 rovided with aperture 47.Vanes 48 are hlnged to member 46, asby hinges 49, and are held in aclosed position by springs 50. Tabs 51 may be formed in member 46 forreceiving said springs.

In the operation of the machine using this form of vane, the size of thedischarge opening is determined by the air pressure within the cleaner.When the cleaner is at rest the vanes will be held in closed position bymeans of springs and serve to completely close the casing. \Vhen thecleaner is operated, however, the air pressure causes said vanes to moveto a position similar to that shown in Fig. 3 whereby the air stream isdirected away from the floor. When the machine is operated with a lowair pressure the vanes will remain nearly closed, thereby enclosing themotor unit and deadening the sound thereof.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 to 7, cap 15 is provided with a centralopening covered by member 55, whichmay be of any flexible material, suchas rubber. Vanes 56 are formed of said material and are either stampedfrom member or formed integrally therewith. In the latter case saidvanes are preferably formed in the opposite position from that assumedduring use, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, and are bent to thedesired position prior to being inserted in the cleaner. Said vanes aresufficiently long to contact with the edges of member 55 adjacent theaperture, whereby reversal of their position is prevented. Member 55 isclamped between ring 57 and cap 17 and is secured by screws 58 whichextend intb an annular member 59. Said member 59 is internally threadedto receive coupling 15. Vanes 56 may be so formed that they are normallyclosed due to their natural resilience and are automatically opened whenthe cleaner is operated. Their operation in this manner is similar tovanes 48 described in Figs. 3 and 4.

It is to be noted that the above described arrangement not only providesfor directing the air stream, but also forms a closure for the vacuumcleaner casing and prevents the entrance of foreign material. The use ofthe air vanes with the filter serves to efiiciently condition the airand permit the same to be discharged in exceptionally pure condition.

It is also to be noted that coupling member 15 may be removedfrom bell13 and applied to the aperture in cap 17 to permit the cleaner to beoperated as a blower. In either case the size of the effective openingis increased by removing coupling member 15, thereby reducing the airfriction and preventing an aeeaeea w may he made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention. I I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing, means within said casing forproducing flow or" air, said casing having an outlet port, means forsupporting said casing above a horizontal surface and means within saidoutlet port for directing air passing through said outlet port away fromthe supporting surface.

2. A vacuum cleaner comprising a cylindrical casing having an air inletport in one end thereofand an air outlet port in the other end thereof,means within said casing for producing fiow of air, means for supportingsaid casing above a horizontal surface so that the axis thereof ishorizontal and means for directing air passing'through the outlet portway from said surface comprising a plurality of horizontal vanes mountedin said outlet port and inclined to the axis of the casing.

3. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an air outlet port, meansfor producing ilow of air through said casing means for supporting saidcasin above a horizontal surface, an air conditioning member in saidcasing and means within said casing and extending across said outletport for deflecting the flow of air discharged from the casing away fromthe supporting surface,

i. A vacuum cleaner comprising acasing having an air outlet port, meansfor producing flow of air through said casing, means for supporting saidcasing above a horizontal surface, an air conditioning member in saidcasing and means for deflecting the flow of air discharged from thecasing comprising a plurality of vanes within said' casing inclined' tothe normal direction of flow at discharge and providing a plurality ofparallel paths for the flow of air in the same direct ion upwardly awayfrom the supporting surrace.

5. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing, means within said casing forproducing flow of air, said casinghaving an outlet port, means forsupporting said casing above a horizontal surface, an air conditioningmember within said casingand means within said outlet port fordirectfiilg air passing through said outlet surface.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising a cylinport away from the supportingmounted in said outlet port and inclined t the axis of the casing.

drical casing having an air inlet port in one end thereof and an airoutlet port in the other end thereof, means within said casing forproducing flow of air, means for supporting said casing above ahorizontal surface so that the axis thereof is horizontal, an airconditioning member within said casing and means for directing airpassing through the outlet port away "from the supporting surfacecomprising a plurality of horizontal vanes 7. lln a vacuum-cleaner unit,a casing havingan outlet port, air directing vanes within said port anda filter mounted adjacent said port, said filter comprising a frame andfilter material carried by said frame.

8. In a vacuum cleaner unit, a casing having an outlet port, airdirecting vanes associated with said port and a filter mounted adjacentsaid port, said filter comprising a ring and a pair of layers or" filtermaterial mounted on said ring, and air conditioning materia interposedbetween said layers.

9. in a vacuum cleaner unit, a casing having an outlet port,airdirecting vanes associated with said port and a filter mounted adjacent said port, said filter comprising an annular ring anda pair oflayers of filter material mounted on said ring, and a receptaclecontaining iniusorial earth saturated with an air conditioning substancemounted within said filter between said layers.

10-. in a vacuum cleaner unit containing a dust bag, tan and drivingmotor, an air discharge port, a filter containing air conditioningmaterial interposed between said motor and said port, and vanesassociated with said let port and in said outlet port engageable withsaid coupling member and a plurality of inclined vanes extending acrosssaid outlet port inwardly of the casing with respect to the engagingmeans for deflecting the flow of air discharged therefrom.

12. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing formed with an inlet port andan outlet port, means for producing flow of air through said casing, acoupling member, means in said inlet port and in said outlet portengageable with said coupling member and means for defleeting the flowof air discharged through said outlet port comprising a plurality ofvanes within said outlet port inclined to the normal direction oil flowat discharge.

13. A vacuum cleaner comprising a cylindrical casing formed with'an endinlet port and an end outlet port, means for producing flow oi airthrough said casing, a-coupling member, threads in said inlet port andin said outlet port enga cable with said coupling member, means orsupporting said casing above a horizontal surface and a plurality ofinclined vanes extending across said outlet port inwardly of the threadsfordirectin air passing through said outlet port away rom said surface.

14. A vacuum cleaner comprising'a casing formed with an inlet port andan outlet port, means for producing flow of air through said casing, acoupling member, means in said inlet port and in said outlet portengageable with said coupling member, an air conditioning member withinsaid casing and a plurality of inclined vanes extending across saidoutlet port inwardly of the casin with respect to the engaging means forde ecting the flow of air discharged therefrom.

15. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing formed with an inlet port andan outlet port, means for producing flow of air through said casing, acoupling member, means in said inlet port and in said outlet portengageable with said coupling member, an air conditioning memberwithinsaid casing and means for deflecting the flow of air discharged throughsaid outlet port comprising a plurality of vanes within said outlet portinclined to the normal direction of flow at discharge.

16. A vacuum cleaner comprising a cylindrical casing formed with an end1n1et port and an end outlet port, means for producing flow of airthrough said casing, a coupling member, threads in said inlet port andin said means for producing flow of air through said outlet portengageable with said coupling member, an air conditioning member withinsaid casing, means for supporting said casing above a horizontal surfaceand a plurality of inclined vanes extending across said outlet portinwardly of the threads for directin air passing through said outletport away roin said surface.

17. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing, means for producing flow ofair through said casing and means for deflecting the flow of airdischarged from the casing comprising a pivoted vane swingable above thepivot in the direction of air flow.

18. In a vacuum cleaner unit, a casing having an outlet port, airdirecting vanes within said port and a filter mounted adjacent saidport, said filter comprising a ring and a pair of layers of filtermaterial mounted on said ring.

19. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing.

having an air inlet port and an air outlet port,

casing, a vane for deflecting flow of air discharged through said outletport and movably mounted to vary the effective discharge area of theoutlet port, and means for urging said vane into flow restrictingposition with respect to the outlet port.

20. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing I having an air inlet port andan air outlet port,

means for producing flow of air through said casing, a plurality ofvanes for deflecting the flow of air discharged through said outlet portand movably mounted to vary the effectivedischarge area of the outletport and means for urging said vanes into flow restricting position withrespect to the outlet port.

21. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an air inlet port and anair outlet port, and means for producing flow of air through saidcasing, said outlet port being formed by a member of resilient materialhaving a slit therethrough whereby the material of said member adjacentto said slit constitutes a movable vane for deflecting the flow of airdischarged through said outlet port.

22. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing, means for producing flow ofair through said casing, and a member of resilient material having slitstherethrough forming outlet ports whereby the material of said memberadjacent to said slits constitutes movable vanes for deflecting the flowof air discharged from the casing, the resilience of said member tendingto maintain a restricted outlet area.

23. A vacuum 'cleaner comprising a casing having an air inlet port andan air outlet port, means for supporting said casing above a horizontalsurface, means for producing flow of air through said casing, and meansresponsive to variations in the rate of flow of air through said casingfor varying the effective area for discharge of air from the casing, andfor deflecting air discharged from the casing comprising pivoted vanesswingable above their pivots in the direction of air flow.

24. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an air inlet port andair outlet port, means for supporting said casing above a horizontalsurface, means for producing flow of air through said casing, and meansresponsive to variations in the pressure of the air for varying theeffective area of discharge of air from the casing and for deflectingair discharge. from the casing comprising pivot- I ed vanes swingableabove theirpivots in the extending across the port and supported by saidannularwall, In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

TORD ERIK DANIEL BILDE.

